Operational signal system and signal light arrangement

Abstract

A visual signal system including a signal display carried prominently on a paving machine, where it can be seen clearly by an operator of a dump truck or shuttle vehicle delivering paving material to the paving machine, as well as by other nearby personnel. Control circuits provide that a paving machine operator may separately control the display of certain signals, while other signals are automatically presented on the signal display in response to operation of paving machine functional controls.

1. A visual signal system comprising:
 (a) a “stop” signal light; 
 (b) a “proceed” signal light; and 
 (c) a “hoist operation” signal light set, including:
 (i) a “raise” signal light; and 
 (ii) a “lower” signal light; and wherein 
 
 (d) the signal lights are all mounted on a primary display unit carried on a self-propelled machine requiring a supply of material and in a location calculated to be visible to an operator of a supply vehicle delivering said supply of material to the self-propelled machine, and wherein the signal system includes a control panel adapted for use by an operator of said self-propelled machine in using said primary display unit to direct said operator of said supply vehicle. 
 
     
     
       2. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein the hoist control signal light set includes a “hold” signal light. 
     
     
       3. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein said primary display unit further includes a “back-up” signal light. 
     
     
       4. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein said primary display unit further includes a “task completed” signal light. 
     
     
       5. The signal system of  claim 1  including a “back-up” signal light and a “task completed” signal light in said primary display unit, and an electrical control circuit arranged to provide power selectively to illuminate either said “back-up” signal light or said “task completed” signal light and to prevent both from being illuminated simultaneously. 
     
     
       6. The signal system of  claim 1  including an electrical control circuit arranged to illuminate said “proceed” signal light in response to operation of a propulsion control of said machine so as to place said machine into forward motion. 
     
     
       7. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein said primary display unit is mounted at a side of said machine. 
     
     
       8. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein said “stop” signal light and “proceed” signal light and “hoist operation” signal light set mounted on said primary display unit are displayed facing in a first direction with respect to said machine, toward an operator of a supply vehicle being operated in cooperation with said machine. 
     
     
       9. The signal system of  claim 8  including a secondary signal display corresponding to said primary signal display and including a secondary “stop” signal light, a secondary “proceed” signal light, and a secondary “hoist operation” signal light set, said secondary signal display being located in a position calculated to be visible to an operator of said machine. 
     
     
       10. The signal system of  claim 8  including a secondary signal display of signal lights corresponding to said “stop,” and “proceed,” signal lights and “hoist operation” signal light set, located in a position visible to personnel who are near said machine but in locations where said primary signal display may not be visible. 
     
     
       11. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein said “raise” signal light and “lower” signal light are controlled by a self-canceling momentary switch. 
     
     
       12. The signal system of  claim 1  including a “back-up” signal light and wherein said “stop” signal light and said “back-up” signal light are connected electrically to extinguish said “stop” signal light when said “back-up” signal light is illuminated, and including a switch biased to illuminate said “stop” signal light unless said “back-up” signal light is illuminated or said machine is placed into forward motion. 
     
     
       13. The signal system of  claim 1  including a control panel located at a machine operator station remote from said primary display unit. 
     
     
       14. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein said “stop” signal light and said “proceed” signal light are controlled by a signal control circuit responsive to a machine propulsion control device in such a way that when said machine propulsion control device is in a neutral position said “stop” signal light is illuminated and when said machine propulsion control device is in a “forward” position said “proceed” signal light is illuminated and said “stop” signal light is extinguished. 
     
     
       15. The signal system of  claim 1  wherein said “stop” signal light includes a plurality of separate elongate elements displayed prominently and arranged so as to outline a polygon. 
     
     
       16. In combination with a self-propelled paving machine, a signal display apparatus comprising:
 (a) a primary signal display mounted on said paving machine and including a “stop” signal, a “proceed” signal, and a “material off-load” signal set, each of said signals and said signal set being clearly visible and distinctive to an operator of a separate vehicle operated in support of said paving machine; 
 (b) a signal controller located at an operator station of the paving machine so as to be within reach of an operator of the paving machine, said signal controller including a plurality of switches connected electrically to cause the primary signal display to show a selected one of said “stop,” “proceed,” and “material off-load” signals. 
 
     
     
       17. The combination of  claim 16  wherein said signal display apparatus includes a first signal control circuit responsive to a propulsion control device of said paving machine so as to activate said “proceed” signal in response to placement of said paving machine propulsion control device into a “forward” position. 
     
     
       18. The combination of  claim 16  including a second signal control circuit interconnected with said signal controller and operative selectively to cause said primary signal display to display a signal from said “material off-load” signal set, and wherein said “material off-load” signal set indicates that a mechanism on a supply vehicle should be operated to begin or stop discharging material from said supply vehicle. 
     
     
       19. The combination of  claim 16  wherein said signal display apparatus includes a third control circuit interconnected with said signal controller and arranged to cause the primary display unit selectively to display a “task completed” signal. 
     
     
       20. The combination of  claim 19  wherein said third control circuit is interconnected with said signal controller so as to prevent said primary display unit from activating said “stop” signal during display of said “task completed” signal. 
     
     
       21. The combination of  claim 19  wherein said “task completed” signal includes a plurality of distinctive lights. 
     
     
       22. The combination of  claim 21  including a flasher connected to said lights of said “task completed” signal to cause different ones of said plurality of lights to flash alternatingly. 
     
     
       23. The combination of  claim 19  including a fourth control circuit connected electrically with said signal controller so as to selectively activate a “back-up” signal and to deactivate the “stop” signal. 
     
     
       24. The combination of  claim 23  wherein said “back-up” signal includes a white light. 
     
     
       25. The combination of  claim 23  wherein said fourth control circuit includes a switch connected electrically so as to prevent simultaneous display of both said “back-up” signal and said “proceed” signal. 
     
     
       26. The combination of  claim 16  wherein said “stop” signal includes a combination of lights arranged to be significantly more prominent than any other signal light in said primary display unit. 
     
     
       27. The combination of  claim 26  wherein said “stop” signal includes a plurality of lights arrayed to define a polygon resembling an outline of a highway “stop” sign. 
     
     
       28. The combination of  claim 16  including a secondary signal display carried on said paving machine and directed toward said operator station so as to be in view of an operator of said paving machine, said secondary signal display being arranged to display a signal corresponding with each signal that is displayed by said primary signal display.